Coin-controlled gas-vending machine.



No. 657,303. Patented Sept. '4, I900.

W. WEBBEB.

COIN BONTRULLED GAS VENDING MACHINE. (Application filed Sept. 6, 1899.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Shut l.

IIIITliII I 7a6 6" faverzioz No. 657,303. Patented Sept. 4, I900.

W. WEBBER.

COIN CONTROLLED GAS VENDING MACHINE.

' (Application filed Sept; 6, 1899.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Patented Sept. 4, I900. W. WEBBER.

COIN CONTROLLED GAS VENDING MACHINE.

(Application filed Sept. 6, 1899.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

Flo/657,303. Patented Sept. 4, I900.

- w. WEBBER.

COIN CONTROLLED GAS VENDING MACHINE.

- (Application filed Sept. 6, 1899.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

the coin-barrel.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC WESLEY WEBBER, OF NEW YORK, N'. Y.

COIN-CONTROLLED GAS-VENDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,303, datedSeptember 4, 1900.

, Application filed $eptember 6, 1899. $erial No. '729,580.- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WESLEY WEBBER, a citizen of the United States, and.a resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Controlled Gas -Vending Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in coin-controlled gas-vendingapparatus; and the invention consists in the construction, arrangement,and combination of parts, all as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a front elevation of the coin-controlled gas-vending machineafiixed to a meter, a portion of the latter being shown as broken away,the cover to the box being lifted open. Fig. 2 is a detail view, in sideelevation, of one means for transmitting the motion of the meter to thecoin-controlled mechanism. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a part of thecoin-controlled mechanism, the back plate of the box or casing, and thegas-coupling with its valve. Fig. iis a front elevation of the same,showingthe parts in the position they assume when beginning to close thevalve. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the delivery-wheel. Fig. 6 shows thevalve opening and closing device, a rear'view of the notchedpurchasing-wheel, and the justifyingdisk, respectively. Fig. 7 is asectional elevation of the gas-coupling and valve on line 00 0c of Fig.Fig. 8 is a reproduction of Fig. at, showing the parts in the positionthey assume after theinsertion and complete operation of the first coinand just after the insertion and during the operation of the secondcoin. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the train of gearing which transmitsmotion from the device shown in Fig. 2 to the deliverywheel. Fig. 10 isa rear elevation of the dialcarrying plate and the partial eccentriccasing for the coin-barrel, showing in broken lines two successivepositions of the coin in Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view of modifiedmechanism for transmitting motion to the coin controlled mechanism. Fig.12 is a like view of another modification. Fig. 13 is an end view of thecam or spiral hoopgear employed in the modification illustrated in Fig.12. Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic view, partially in section and partiallyin per- I spective, of the valve and means for opening and closing thesame.

In the drawings, 2 represents the main body of the box or casing, which,together with the back plate 3 (to which it is secured by lugs andscrews inside the box) and padlocked door or cover 4, incloses thecoin-controlled mechanism and forms a till or coin-receptacle, or a tillmay-be attached below. The casing 2 is attached to the meter 5 by a bolt6 and nut, and by the gas-coupling 7 rigidly attached to the back plate3, the union b of which gascoupling screws firmly. upon the usualgasinlet pipe 9 of the meter. The side of the casing opposite the meteris formed with a bay or enlargement 10, fitting over a similar extensionin the back plate, at the top of which is formed a coin-slot 12, withwhich a slot 13, extending diametrically through the coinbarrel 14, maybe made to aline twice in each revolution of the coin-barrel. Slots 12and 13 are each of sufficient size to allow a coin proper to the machineto drop easily through them. The coin-barrel is a cylinder whosediameter is less than that of a coin proper tov the machine. It isjournaled at one end in the back plate 3 and at the other in an opening15in the dial-bearing plate 16. (See Figs. 1 and 10.) The saiddial-bearing plate is formed or provided with a side extension 17,

which corresponds approximately in shape serves first to prevent thecoin-barrel from being turned in the wrong direction at the beginning ofthe mechanical service of the coin, and thus dropping the coininoperatively into the till, and, second, to prevent the coin in thebarrel from being carried and rotated farther after it has onceperformed its service, as hereinafter described, and to compel itsdischarge from the barrel into the till before the barrel can be furtherrotated or a new coin can be inserted.

The partial casing 18 is eccentric to the axis of the coin-barrel, thepoint of least eccentricity being at the top, and is arranged at such adistance from the coin-barrel that its eccentric surface will operate toforce the coin edgewise back through the slot as the coin-barrel isrotated till the coin protrudes therefrom, as shown in Fig. 10. Thepoint of greatest eccentricity of the partial casing is below thecoin-barrel, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 10, and is of sufficientdepth relative to the diameter of the coin proper to the machine tocause the coin when dropped through the alined slots 12 and 13 to standwith its lower edge on the casing 18 at its point of greatesteccentricity and with its upper edge flush or below the upper surface orperiphery of the coin-barrel, as shown in the vertical broken lines inFig. 10, so that the coin at the beginning of its rotation will passunder the guard 20. The guard 20 is a metal plate or bar as here shownabout half an inch wide and of a length equal to that of thecoin-barrel, firmly secured at right angles to the back plate 3 byscrews (one of which is shown in Fig. 8) which pass through a lateralflange of the guard and enter screw-caps in the said back plate 3.Instead of screws rivets may be used to fasten the guard to the backplate, or it may be soldered or brazed. The lower edge of the guard isheld as close as possible to the periphery of the coin-barrel, thuseffectually preventing the insertion of any strip, spring, wire, orother device by which the mechanism could be operated or the coinretained or withdrawn.

The proper direction of rotation of the coinbarrel is indicated by thearrow in Figs. 8 and 10, and it is prevented from backward rotation by apawl 21 and ratchet 22; but these may be omitted, if desired, inasmuchas the pawl 59 or a shoulder 58 on the bar 52, or both, will overlie thecoin and through it lock the coin-barrel from backward movementeffectually in the interval between the point of purchase and the pointof discharge of the coin from the coin-barrel into the till, ashereinafter more fully described, thus preventing more than one purchaseby one coin. The coin-barrel 14 is formed at its front end with a boss14, which reaches to the front of the dial-carrying plate 16. Across thediameter of the boss is formed a forwardly-projecting flange 14?. In thedoor or cover 4 is journaled a diametrically or complementally slottedkey 14 provided with a handle 14, by which the key 14 may be turned forrotating the coin-barrel 1e and with it the coin when and as held in theslot thereof by the casing 18.

26 represents the main shaft of the coincontrolled mechanism, whichreaches from a bearing 27, secured to or in the back plate 3 to thefront of the dial 523, where it is provided with a pointer 29 toindicate at zero that the valve is closed and at other points on thescale the amount of money or moneys worth in gas remaining from time totime to the consumers credit, as representing gas paid for in advance,but not yet passed through the meter. On the shaft 26 is sccured anotched wheel or rack 30, provided with teeth for a portion-for example,as shown, eight-tenths )of its periphery, the blank portion serving toprevent the further operation of the apparatus in case more coins shouldbe inserted at one time than the apparatus is constructed to receive.

31, Figs. 3, 7, 8, and 14, represents a valveoperating rod or shaftunder the control of the shaft 26 for turning on and cutting off the gasby opening and closing a valve 32 in the gas-coupling 7. As here shown,the valve is provided with a stem 33, guided by upper and lower guides,lugs, orspiders 87 88, which stem engages loosely with an arm 3 1,attached to the val ve-operating rod 31, as shown in Figs. 7 and 14:, sothat when the arm is elevated by the partial rotation of the rod 31 thevalve will be lifted from its seat 35 and admit gas to the meter. Therotatory rod 31 is fitted gas-tight in a stuffing-box 36, which isinserted through the back plate 3 and screwed into the adjacent surfaceof the coupling 7 and receives adequate rotation from the shaft 26through a lateral projection 37 on the said rod and a projection 38,rotated by or from the shaft 26. The projection 38 and the cam orshoulder 41, as here shown and by preference, are formed as parts of adisk 39, which, as here shown, is directly attached to the shaft 26; butthey may be formed as part of or attached to one or two radial armsattached to said shaft. At or just before the zeropoint the projection38, rotated in the direction of the arrow, Fig. a, and acting againstthe projection 37 by the power of the meter, transmitted as hereinafterdescribed, partially rotates the rod or shaft 31 in the oppositedirection, and so turns down and closes the valve 32 and cuts off thegas. At the time gas is purchased by the insertion of the first coin theprojection 38 is carried from the position shown in Fig. 4 to theposition shown in Fig. 8 and the projection 37 is elevated for turningon the gas by the counterweight 10 or by the projection, cam, orshoulder 11, or by the action of both said counterweight and saidshoulder. WVhile the disk 39 is not necessary if the counterweight beemployed, its periphery serves to insure that the projection 37 shall beheld continuously elevated and the valve continuously held open, so thatif the continuous disk 39 be used the counterweight 4:0 might beomitted; but it is preferred to use the counterweight in order that theprojection or lever 37 may not rest or bear upon the periphery of thedisk during the rotation of the disk and that the power of the meteroperating through the surface of contact of the projection 38.with theprojection 37 may be positivelyrelied uponin the dimming or gradualturning down of the gas during the last part of the consumption of thelast coins worth of gas in order to apprise the consumer that it isnecessary to insert a new coin, and by the shape or slope of the ICCsaid contact-surface the period of dimming or warning may be made ofshorter or longer duration. A spring or a friction device may beemployed in addition to or in place of the counterweight to raise thevalve or to hold it open, especially if the gasway is of large caliherand the valve 32 rather large and heavy.

The shaft 26 is provided with a justifying wheel or disk 42, which,through the action of a bell-crank 43 with pins 44 on each arm of thebell-crank, serves to justify the operative parts of the apparatus ateach insertion of a coin, thus causing the operative parts of theapparatus always to bear a reliable and definite relation to thequantity of gas to be delivered in exchange for each coin inserted. Thisjustificationtaking place at each insertion of a coin prevents anypossible recurring inaccuracy in the delivery which might result fromwear or imperfect construction or imperfect action of the coin-actuatedparts of the apparatus and insures at each insertion of a coin the exactand positive purchase of a certain definite fraction or are of thecomplete revolution of the delivery-wheel 45 (to be hereinafterdescribed) and of the revolution of the valveclosing projection 38 andprevents the multiplication or commutation of recurring errors, whichwould cause the apparatus to deliver an increasing surplus or deficit ofgas as compared with the total quantity paid for by a series of insertedcoins. The said bell-crank 43 is pivoted to the gear- Wheel 45, which Iterm the delivery-wheel, and the said pins 44 in the members of saidbell-crank act in the recesses of said j ustifying-wheel 42 somewhatafter the manner of an anchor-escapement. The delivery-wheel 45 has anumber of teeth which is a multiple of the number of recesses in thejustifying-wheel 42 and is loosely mounted on the shaft 26, and bypreference the bell-crank is applied to the front or remoter surface ofthe deliverywheel, slots 46 being formed through the delivery-wheel toallow the pins 44 to protrude therethrough into the plane of thejustifying-wheel, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. The justifying-wheelhas formed in its edge equidistant recesses 47. The distance between anytwo adjacent recesses represents the fraction of a revolutionviz., thenumber of degrees of arc of rotation-of the valve-closing projection 38and also the number of teeth on the delivery-wheel 45 and the number ofrevolutions of gear-wheel 7 5, shaft 76, and Worm 51 purchased by theinsertion of a coin proper to the machine. The'metal between each twoadjacent recesses is cut away to form two radial shoulders 48say aneighth of an inch in radial length- S0 that each recess 47 lies betweentwo oppositelyfacing shoulders. Between each pair of recesses 47 themetal projecting to a greater radial distance than the shoulders 48 istapered to a radial line drawn midway between said recesses 47, thusforming two oppositelyfacing cams 49, terminating in a ray-shaped becapable of vertical reciprocation.

crest 49 cesses in connection with the bell-crank 43, pins 44, andspring 50 serve to justify each purchase of gas, as above stated, andalso serve to lock the valve-closing projection 38 with thedelivery-wheel 45 during the passage of gas through the meter, so thatwhen the delivery-wheel 45 is rotated in the direction of the arrow,Fig. 4, by the power of the meter the justifying-wheel 42, the notcheddisk 30, the projection 38, and the pointer 29 will rotate together inthe same direction- 11. 6., toward closing the valvebut without anyeffect to close the valve till the projec- These cams, shoulders, andretion 38 contacts with the projection or lever 37, after which contactthe rod 31 is turned in the opposite direction of rotation to that ofshaft 26 till the valve 32 is drawn to its seat and the supply of gas tothe meter is cut off. The delivery-wheel 45 is held by the worm 51against any other rotation than that transmitted to it by said worm,which is always in one direction, that of said arrow, so that in thepurchase of gas the notched disk 30, projection 38, and justifying-Wheel42 operate independently of the deliverywheel, moving step by step in adirection opposite to that indicated by the arrow, new complementalrecesses 47 of the justifyingwheel being presented to each of the pins44 at each insertion of a coin, as hereinafter described.

In case the valve should leak when closed and the meter still be drawnupon by the service it supplies, the slow action of the meter due tosaid leakage will force the delivery-wheel to rotate; but all danger of.

breakage of the parts is obviated by the formation of the recesses 47,shoulders 48, and cams 49 in the justifying-wheel, for when powerapplied to the delivery-wheel is thus resisted by the impingement ofprojection 38 against lever 37 the pin 44, which normally rests in oneof the recesses 47 and which forms the connection or coupling by whichthe delivery-wheel returns the justifyingwheel and its connected partsto zero, is allowed by its spring 50 to ride over the adjacent crest 49into the next recess.

52 represents a bar adjacent to the coinbarrel 14, loosely held in thevertical grooves of a stud 53 by prongs 54at its upper end and by abracket 55 at its lower end, so as to The bar 52 is normally held inelevated position, as shown in Fig. 4, by a spring 56, which operatesbetween the bracket 55 and a small disk orwasher 57, placed upon thesaid bar,

a shoulder 58 serving to retain the said disk or washer. The bar 52, asclearly shown in the drawings, lies between the coin-barrel 14 and thenotched rack or disk 30. A pawl 59 is pivoted to the bar 52 in suchmanner that while thesaid bar is being depressed against the tension ofthe spring 56 by a coin protruding from the coin-barrel and pressing onthe shoulder 58 of the bar and heel 59 of the pawl, as illustrated inFig. 8, the point of the pawl will be held by the pressure of the coinaway from the notched disk 30 and descend without touching it, and whenthe coin in the coin-barrel rotated in the direction of the arrow, Fig.8, passes off from the lower end or heel 59 of the pawl 59 and theprojection 58 of the bar 52, thus releasing the bar 52 and spring 56,the spring, acting through the washer 57 on the curved contour of thebottom of the pawl 59, will rock the pawl onits pivot, so that theupward return of the bar 52 will cause the point 60 of the pawl 59 toswing over and engage with the notched disk 30 and turn it and shaft 26,projection 38, justifying-wheel 42, and pointer 29 in the valve-openingdireetion i. e., in the direction oppositeto that of the arrow in Fig.4. The washer 57 on top of the spring 56 serves as a level or smoothbase for the curved bottom of the pawl 59 to rock on without possibleentanglement with the spring. The upper end 61 of the pawl 59 is soconstructed and arranged with reference to the location of the stud 53and the distance of movement of the bar 52 and the relation of the point60 of the pawl with the notches of the wheel 30 that just before the bar32 reaches the limit of its upward motion the upper extended end 61 ofthe pawl acts like a cam against the stud 53 and withdraws the point 60of the pawl 59 from the wheel 30, leaving the bar tree to be returned bythe spring to its normal elevated position and the wheel 30 free to begradually turned back by the power of the meter. The lower end or heel59 of the pawl 59 reaches a short distance below the shoulde1n58 on thebar 52 and is curved in contour, so that when the disk or washer 57presses against it under the pressure of the spring 56 after the coin inthe coin-barrel has depressed the bar 52 a su'fficient distance to clearthe upper end 61 of the pawl from the stud 53 and the edge of the coinhas passed off of the heel 59 and is pressing only on the shoulder 58the spring 56, acting against its curved contour, will rock the pawl onits pivot against the limit-pin 59 and cause the point 60 to engage withthe teeth of the notched wheel 30 when the coin passes the shoulder 58and releases the spring 56. The action of the bar, spring, and pawladvances the justifying-wheel 42 and the parts moving with it at leastthe space of a little more than one-half the distance between twoadjacent recesses 47; but owing to the escapemen t-like action of thebell-crank lever 43 and its pins 44 they cannot be advanced the space oftwo recesses.

It is intended that the insertion of one coin shall, by depressing andreleasing the bar 52, spring 56, and pawl 58, advance thejustifying-wheel 42 and the parts moving therewith no more and no lessthan an amount measured by the distance between two adjacent recesses 47on the justifying-wheel, which distance in the drawings is one-tenth ofa revolution or thirty-six degrees of revolution or one-tenth of thenumber of teeth on the delivery-wheel 45, which distance, as hereinafterto be described, will represent a certain prescribed definite number ofrevolutions of wheel 75 or of the meter or a certain number of cubicfeet of gas; but as the action of the spring may vary or as the positionof the teeth on the wheel 30 may in the course of the meter-impelledrotation of the wheel 80 vary as to the position of the point 60 thepositive advance caused by the pawl and spring will likewise vary; Theaction of the j ustifyingwheel and its complemental pins eliminates withperfect accuracy all factors of variation and for each coin insertedadjusts the advance to exactly such a fraction or are of a revolution(corresponding exactly to a certain prescribed number of teeth on thewheel 45) as is prescribed by the number of recesses 47 cut in thewheel, for if the crest 49 of the metal between the recesses just passesunder one of the pins 44 the adjacent cam 49, acted upon by thespring-pressed pin 44 will cause the justifying-wheel to be movedforward until the pin settles into the center of the next recess 47; butif, on the contrary, the crest be passed somewhat beyond the said pinthe latter acting against the opposite cam will move thejustifying-wheel back or return it until the pin settles into theidentical recess last mentioned. The pins 44 44 are so arranged withrelation tothe crests of the justifying-wheel that no matter howsuddenly the purchaser may operate the coin-barrel or what relation theteeth on the wheel 30 may bear to the point 60 of the pawl at the timeof purchase it will be impossible to advance the justifying-wheel42 morethan one recess for one coin inserted.

In a stuffing-box 62 in the meter 5 is journaled a shaft 68, whichprojects through the casing 2 of the apparatus. On this shaft, withinthe meter, is secured a ratchet-wheel 64, the number of whose teethbears a relation to the amount of gas measured out by each revolution ofthe meter-e. a 1n ultiple of nine if the meter measures out ninths of acubic foot, of six if sixths, the. A lever 65 is pivoted at 66 above theratchet-wheel 64 and is slotted at 65, as shown in Fig. 2, to clear theshaft 63 and provided with a pawl 67 to engage with the teeth on theupper side of the ratchet-wheel and with another pawl 68 to engage withthe teeth on the lower side of the ratchet-wheel. The lever 65 isconnected by a rod 69 to an arm 70, which is oscillated back and forthby the flag-wire 71 or other oscillating part of the meter mechanism, sothat the lever 65 is oscillated on the pivot 66 once for eachoscillation of the arm 70. It will be seen that the pawls 67 68 bothoperate in the same direction, one through a short and the other througha longer are, so that when the ratchet-wheel is advanced by the pawl 68the pawl 67 will approach the point of the next tooth, and thus obviateall danger of swinging the lever idly back and forth without advancingthe wheel.

The end of the shaft 63 which projects into the casing 2 is providedwith a pinion 72, which operates a train of gearing comprisinggear-wheels 73, 74, and 75, which last is on a shaft 76, on which theworm 51 is mounted.

Instead of employing a shaft 63, to be rotated as just described, I mayemploy a rod, reciprocated through the stuffing-box 62, and omit thetrain of gearing, counter-shaft, and worm just described and locate thelever 65, pivoted at 66 with its ratchet-wheel 64 and pawls 67 68,insideof'the casing of the apparatus, as shown in Fig. 11. The ratchetwheel 64in this case will be provided with a pinion 77, meshing directly withthe deliverywheel 45 and the lever 65, slotted at to clear the shaft ofthe pinion 7 7 as shown in the figures. The rod 78 in the stuffing-boxwill be reciprocated by an eccentric 79, secured on the two-foot shaftor proving shaft 80 of the meter mechanism, a frame 81 and aconnecting-rod 82 serving to transmit the motion of the eccentric to thereciprocating rod 78. The ratchet-wheel in this case will be maderemovable and interchangeable, the number of its teeth varying accordingto the price of gas.

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 12 and 13 the rotary shaft 63in the stuffingbox 62 transmits motion to the delivery-wheel 45 throughthe removable and interchangeable gear-wheel 83 and pinion 84 by meansof a spiral hoop-gear 85, attached to the shaft 63, each revolution ofthe shaft 63 advancing the wheel 83 a single tooth and each revolutionof the pinion 84 (or of the like pinion 77 in Fig. 11) advancing thedelivery-wheel and its connected parts an are equal to the are betweentwo adjacent recesses 47 on the justifying-wheel 42.

The gasway and valve-chamber 7 are formed with a neck 89 of such a sizethat the annular gasway around the valve 32 is of cross-sectional areaequal to or greater than that of the pipe at the inlet-coupling at 8. Inother words, the net gas-passing capacity of 7, with its included parts,is not less than that of the inlet-port of the meter. The neck 89 isscrewthreaded to receive the lower part 91 of the reducing-coupling ordouble union 90, the up-- per part 92 of which is reduced and screwthreaded, so that the union or coupling ordinarily found on theinlet-port of the meter may be removed from the inlet -port and screwedon at 86, thus connecting the gaspipe leading from the main. Thevalve-spindle 33 is guided by upper guide or spider 87 and by lowerguide 88, which latter is preferably cast as part of 7.

In the operation of the apparatus the coin in the coin-barrel, actingagainst the eccentric 18, is forced by said eccentric at its oppositeedge into the concavity of the pawl 59, so that it impinges against andupon the heel 59 of the pawl, as shown in Fig. 8, and also impinges uponthe shoulder 58 of the bar 52, by which latter the coin operates todepress the said bar 52 and by which former to hold the point 60 awayfrom wheel 30 while so doing. The shoulder 58 projects outward past theheel 59 of the pawl, thus causing the coin to pass off from and beyondthe said heel 59 before it passes off from the shoulder 58. As soon asthe coin passes off from the heel 59 of the pawl the spring 56, actingthrough its washer on the under surface ofthe pawl, rocks it on itspivot toward the toothed wheel 30 to and against the limit-pin 59*,which brings the point 60 of the pawl in line beneath the teethof thewheel 30. As the edge of the coin passes off of the shoulder 58 thespring 56 suddenly elevates the bar 52 and pawl 59 and causes the latterto set forward the toothed wheel 30, producing the action hereinbeforedescribed,-and, as stated, also withdraws the pawl 59, leaving thetoothed wheel 30 and the parts connected therewith free to be turnedback by the delivery-wheel 45, bell-crank lever 43, pin 44,justifying-wheel 42, and the gearing operated by the meter.

If more than one coins worth of gas is to be purchased at a. singletime, the coins may be inserted one after another until the notchedwheel 30 is turned around till the blank portion of its periphery ispresented to the point 60 of the pawl 59, in which position the coinwill compress and release the spring idly and drop into the till.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a coin-controlled gas-vending machine, a justifying disk or wheelattached to a shaft capable of rotation in both directions, incombination with a delivery-wheel adapted to rotate in one directiononly and a justifying device arranged to engage with the justifying diskor wheel; substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a coin -controlled gas-vending machine, a wheel capable ofrotation in two directions, formed with equidistant recesses in itsperiphery, in combination with a wheel driven by the power of the meterand capable of rotation in only one direction and bearing on its surfacemeans for connecting it with the first wheel and means for shifting saidfirst wheel relatively to the said connection from recess to recess;substantially as described.

3. In a coin-controlled gas-vending machine, a wheel connected with avalve-controlling projection and connected with coin-operated mechanismcapable of rotationin two directions formed with justifying-recesses inits periphery, in combination with a deliverywheel capable of rotationin one direction only and a spring-pressed lever connecting the saiddelivery-wheel with said first-mentioned wheel; substantially asdescribed.

4. In a coin-controlled gas-vending machine, a j ustifying-wheel formedwith equidistant recesses 47, shoulders 48, and cams 49, in combinationwith a delivery-wheel and a spring-pressed lever connecting saiddelivery-wheel with the justifying-wheel; substantially as described.

5. In a coin-controlled gas-vending machine, a justifying-wheel formedwith equidistant recesses in its periphery, in combination with adeliverywheel and a springpressed escapement device adapted to engagewith the recesses of thejustifying-wheel; s ubstantially as described.

6. In a coin-controlled gas-vending machine, a delivery-wheel and aspring-pressed escapement device pivoted thereto, in combination with ajustifying-wheel having equidistant recesses in its periphery;substantially as described.

7. In a coin-controlled chine, a sliding bar adapted to be depressed bythe coin, a spring applied to said bar, and a pawl pivoted to said bar,in combination with a notched wheel applied to a shaft and means forcausing the pawl to engage with said notched wheel duringa portion ofthe return movement of the said bar; substantially as described.

8. In a coin-controlled gas-vending machine, a main shaft, a notchedwheel affixed thereto, and a coinbarrel, in combination with a slidingbar located between said shaft and said coin-barrel, and constructed tobe depressed by a coin in said coin-barrel, a spring applied to saidbar, a pawl pivoted on said bar and means for causing the said pawl toengage with said notched wheel during a portion of the return movementof said bar; substantially as described.

9. In a coin-controlled gas-vending machine, a rotary coin-barrel and afixed eccentric for forcing the coin through said barrel, in combinationwith a spring-actuated sliding bar held adjacent to said coin-barrel, ashoulder on said bar for contact with the coin, and a pawl pivoted onsaid bar, and a valvecontrolling projection moved by means actuatedbysaid pawl; substantially as described.

10. In a coin-controlled gas-vending machine, a coin-barrel, a fixedeccentric for forcing the coin through said barrel, a spring actuatedsliding bar held adjacent to said barrel, a shoulder on said bar forcontact with the coin, and a pawl pivoted on said bar and formed with aheel for causing the coin to rock the pawl; substantially as described.

11. In a coin-controlled gas-vending machine, a coin-barrel, a fixedeccentric for forcing the coin through said barrel, a spring-actuatedsliding bar held adjacent to said barrel, a shoulder on said bar forcontact with the coin, and a pawl pivoted on said bar and formed with aheel for causing the spring to rock the pawl; substantially asdescribed.

12. In a coin-controlled gas-vending machine, a notched wheel aspring-actuated sliding bar adjacent to said wheel, a pawl pivgasvending maoted on said bar adapted to be rocked in one direction by thecontact of the coin and in the other direction by a spring, and meansfor withdrawing the pawl from contact with the notched wheel before thelimit of return of the sliding bar; substantially as described.

13. In a coin-controlled gas-vending machine, a rotatory slottedcoin-barrel of less diameter than a coin proper to the machine, incombination with a fixed eccentric for forcing the coin through .thebarrel; substantially as described. I

14. In a coincontrolled gasweuding machine, a rotatable slottedcoin-barrel of less diameter than a coin proper to the machine, incombination with an eccentric for forcing the coin through the barreland a guard or flange arranged at the point of greatest eccentricity;substantially as described.

15. In a coin-controlled gas-vending machine, a slotted rotatorycoin-barrel of less diameter than a coin proper to the machine, a fixedeccentric for forcing the coin through the barrel, and a guard or plateadjacent to the barrel at a point where the coin when passing it doesnot protrude from the barrel; substantially as described.

16. In a coin-controlled gas-vending machine, a' rotatory coin-barrel ofless diameter than a coin proper to the machine with a slot therethroughwhose length exceeds the diameter of such coin and a casing or flangepartially inclosin g said coin-barrel substantially as described.

17. In a coin-controlled gas-vending machine, a lever pivoted at or nearone end, two pawls attached to said lever at the same side of saidpivot, a ratchet-wheel located between said pawls and a shaft journaledin the wall of the meter for said ratchet-wheel, in combination with arod connecting the free end of said lever with one of the llags of themeter for reciprocating the lever by the power of the meter and gearingfor transmitting the intermittent motion of the ratchet-wheel to thecoin-controlled mechanism; substantially as described.

18. In a coin-controlled gas-vending machine, a valve and a seattherefor in a gasway leading to or from a meter, a shaft penetratinginto said gasway or valve-chamber and provided within the same with anarm connected with said valve and provided outside of the gasway orvalve-chamber with a counterweighted lever, the counterweight being soarranged as to lift the valve away from its seat, in combination with aprojection rotated by the power of the meter mechanism and adapted toengage with the non-weighted end of said lever and, by partiallyrotating said shaft, to draw the valve to its seat, and means operatedby the insertion of a coin in the mechanism to disengage the saidprojection from the said lever and allow the valve to be withdrawn fromits seat; substantially as described.

19. In a coin-controlled gas-vending ma chine, the gasway 7 formed witha neck 89, and containing valve-seat 35 and upper and lower valve-stemguides 87 and 88, and the union 90, the lowerhalf 91 of Which is adaptedto be screwed upon the neck 89, in combination with the valve 32,valve-stem 33, shaft 31, arm 34, projection 37 attached to said shaftand projection 38 controlled by the main shaft of the machine;substantially as gasway and provided therewithin with an arm connectedwith said valve and provided outside of said gasway or valve-chamberwith a lever, in combination with a main shaft connected with the metermechanism so as to be rotated thereby in one direction and provided withmeans to be rotated in the other direction by the insertion of acoininto the machine and provided with two radial projections, separated bya space or recess, adapted to engage with said lever on opposite sidesthereof, afford it clearance in said recess, and move it in eitherdirection; substantially as described.

, Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 5th day of September, A. D. 1899.

WESLEY WEBBER.

Witnesses:

LEWIS S. BURcHARn, H. A. Wnsr.

